The Closer: You Will Believe A Man Can Fly

Notes from a day in baseball:

• 1. We're Koo-Koo For Coco Crisp. It just may be remembered as one of the great all-time major league catches. David Wright's potential double to the gap was snagged by a leaping Coco Crisp in the eighth, saving a run in Boston's eventual 4-2 win over the Mets; the Red Stockings' 12th straight win and New York's third consecutive loss. Crisp also had a bunt single, Curt Schilling got his 10th win, David Ortiz homered and Jonathan Papelbon got his 24th save in 26 chances. But Mets fans shouldn't fret; your team is still 11 games up in the NL East.

• 2. Junior Achievement. Ken Griffey Jr. has worked out his schedule for the rest of the summer. Just so you know, he plans to hit one home run each weekday, and take very other weekend off. Also on Mondays he will provide snacks. Junior hit career homer No. 552 — his fourth in four days — as the Reds beat the Royals 6-5.

• 3. We're Not the Worst! We're Not The Worst! The Pirates had already set the club record for consecutive losses, so the pressure was off. Freddy Sanchez's walkoff homer in the ninth provided a 7-6 win over the White Sox, as Pittsburgh avoided its 14th straight loss and moved a game ahead of (behind?) the Royals in the race for the worst record in baseball.

• 4. Cubs' Dry Spell Continues. Milwaukee's Geremi Gonzalez returned to face his former team — when, we swear, we remember his name as then being Jeremy Gonzalez — and pitched well as the Brewers downed the hapless Cubs 5-4. Meanwhile, a woman charged with stalking Brewers' announcer Bob Uecker was ordered by a judge to have no contact with Uecker and to avoid any ballpark where the Milwaukee Brewers play. Of which we say about the latter, you consider that a punishment? (Sorry. We know they're playing well.)

• 5. G'Night, Folks! You can tell a team is in trouble when its manager spends more time in the clubhouse whirlpool than in the dugout. Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin was ejected for arguing a home run call in the ninth; his third ejection in the past eight games. Arizona has lost 20 of its past 23 games